1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an accordion shutter system that is especially resistant to hurricane force winds and flying objects when used to cover doors, windows or openings. This accordion shutter system also offers a unique ability to secure doors, windows and openings from forced entry.
2. The Prior Art Background
In coastal and non-coastal areas subjected to high winds and flying objects from wind and rain storms, tornados, hurricanes or typhoons, accordion shutters traditionally have been used that lacked the strength to resist flying objects like a 9 pound 2.times.4 traveling at 34 M.P.H. Some accordion shutters are much larger in blade length, and component thickness, while actually being weaker. Others are very heavy and bulky causing considerable difficulty in operation, have large protrusions from the wall when stacked and difficulty walking over the wide bottom track when used across doorways and are extremely expensive and unattractive. Accordion shutters have historically required two or three guide pins per blade, with one or two rows of these guide pins following the outside of a top and bottom guide track while another rides in a groove. There has been a need for accordion shutters built for wide openings to be manufactured in sections that can be assembled in the field. This invention addresses the shortcomings of previous accordion shutters by providing the resistance to high winds (Minimum of 160 M.P.H. on all traditional home doors and windows), a 2.times.4 traveling at 34 M.P.H., very low weight per square foot of deployed shutter system, lightweight and easy to operate, minimal protrusion from wall when stacked at edges of opening, compact stacking of blades, ease of maintenance for guide pins, trolley and blade replacement and the capability of the accordion shutter to be assembled, from factory assembled smaller sections, in the field, by snapping the blades together. This facilitates the installation of very wide shutters without undue weight problems for the installer. Another unique feature is the use of a single row of guide pins and trolleys for shutter operation, therein allowing narrower top and bottom guides that do not need to be the width of the deployed blade. This feature offers less obstruction and therefore more safety to those who would have to walk across these tracks at doorways.